In the last months I started using Logseq as a digital note-taking tool mostly for journaling. Part of it’s appeal compared to Dendron is that it includes a decent mobile client both on iOS and Android. Then of course the question comes up how to sync the data between the different platforms.
I tried a number of options and since this question comes up a lot on the forum and Discord I thought it may be useful to describe the options, the required software beside Logseq itself and their pros and cons based on my experience with it.
One important advise: try to avoid editing the same note on different devices at the same time. This can lead to data loss depending on which sync option you choose. As far as I can tell the only one that deals sensibly with merges is not surprisingly git.
These are the platforms I regularly use and need sync for:
- MacOs
- iOS
- Windows 11
- Android
Due to platform design choices by Apple there are some restrictions on iOS that impact some of the sync options for iOS:
- Logseq will find the data only if they are stored in the Logseq folder (whowing its logo).
- iOS doesn’t support background services, i.e. sync with external software requires to run it explictly.
These are the sync options I’m aware of
- Logseq Sync
- iCloud
- Git
- Syncthing
- Filesharing software (Nextcloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive) and FolderSync (Android only)
Logseq Sync
I haven’t tried that option myself. It’s built-in and available for backers at €5/month.
Advantages:
- built-in and no additional software required
- no setup required
- works across all platforms
Disadvantages:
- subscription based
- doesn’t support syncing other data across devices obviously
I haven’t tried it myself since I try to limit the subscriptions I pay for but most people seem to like it. Some people complained about data loss though.
iCloud
This works out of the box between MacOS and iOS. I’m not aware of any implementation for Android and I haven’t tried using it on Windows.
Advantages:
- works out-of-the-box in the Apple eco system
- doesn’t require additional installation there
Disadvantages:
- doesn’t support Android
- Sync was brittle for me most of the time
All in all I don’t recommend it but it may be sufficient for a first try or if you only need MacOs and iOS.
Git
This is a more complex setup and thoroughly decribed in this guide. It requires additional software to be installed (mostly git). While there are free options for Android, the recommended git client for iOIS is Working Copy. You will need the paid option to sync into the Logseq folder.
Advantages:
- supports all platforms
- provides merge for sync conflicts
- supports automated sync on iOS using shortcuts
Disadvantages:
- complex to set up and you should have experience using git
- requires additional paid software on iOS
- requires either a self-hosted sync server or storage on Github/Gitlab/Bitbucket.
This solution requires either a self-hosted sync server or storage on Github/Gitlab/Bitbucket. Depending on your senstivity needs this may be a showstopper. Besides I liked the solution in particular since it allows for merges and hence has very limited potential for data loss.
Syncthing
Syncthing is a peer-to-peer sync software i.e. the data are only synced between the connected devices which is in line with the logseq promise of “Privacy-first”.
There is no official client for iOS but a third-party product called MöbiusSync. You will need the paid version since the free client only snyc into its own folder which Logseq can’t access.
Advantages:
- easy setup
- privacy friendly
Disadvantages:
- requires additional paid software on iOS
- No automated sync on iOS and MöbiusSync doesn’t seem to support shortcuts
Setup is fairly easy and quick. The only issue I ran into on Android was that using a relative directory path such as ~/Documents/Logseq turned in into a “Send only” configuration. Hence it would sync changes I made on the Android devices to other devices but would delete everything not present locally. Using an absolute path solved this issue.
In this scenario you need ot keep in mind that Syncthing works on “last write wins” so if you’re not careful data may get overwritten between devices. Of course there are options like having a server as a central repository but I didn’t implement any of this.
Filesharing and FolderSync
While I’m ok with storing my data on a server I want to control it or run it in a country whith a suitable data privacy legislation. This is why I use Nextcloud. Of course instead of Nextcloud you can also use Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive if you’re fine with their licence models. If you only need desktop operating system support this may be all you need.
For mobile platforms the client doesn’t automatically sync so you need something on top. I don’T know any suitable client for iOS but for Android I’m a happy user of FolderSync. The way I had set it up is to continously sync data from the Android device to Nextcloud and schedule regular sync for the other direction. Since I use a Samsung device I have access to “routines” which syncs automatically whenever I open Logseq.
Advantages:
- easy setup
Disadvantages:
- doesn’t support iOS
- sync from Nextcloud etc. to the Android device may be slow
As mentioned above these solutions won’t work on iOS since they sync into their own folder not the Logseq folder that Logseq needs the data to be in. Also for this solution you need to be aware though that all these solution work on “last write wins” so if you’re not careful data may get overwritten between devices.
Summary
Personally I ended up with Syncthing. It works fine and I like the fact that it doesn’t store data anywhere else. This way I don’t hesitate to also store somewhat sensitive data in my Logseq graph.